“There’s nothing to do”, “Carlsen won’t notice him at all”, “Magnus will win the match ahead of schedule” - these were the words that could be heard from many chess fans more than six months ago, when Sergei Karyakin became the winner of the Candidates Tournament. Numerous grandmasters and experts, of course, were more diplomatic in their forecasts, but still gave preference to the current world champion.
He is rightfully the strongest chess player on the planet and the owner of the first number in the rating. He won numerous tournaments, became the youngest world champion and beat Viswanathan Anand twice in matches for the chess crown.
Karyakin, in turn, became famous while still a citizen of Ukraine, when he entered the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest grandmaster in history - at that time he was 12 years and 211 days old.
Carlsen did not lag behind Sergei for long and received the title of grandmaster at the age of 13 years, 4 months and 27 days. Subsequently, the rivals' paths diverged, and while Carlsen remained in the headlines of Norwegian newspapers as a chess prodigy, Karjakin's career developed more modestly and he did not experience such press attention for his person. His today's counterpart quickly rose to the chess Olympus and attracted the lion's share of attention to himself.
And it is not surprising that the Norwegian was the clear favorite before the start of the match. These forecasts were also facilitated by the FIDE rating, in which Sergei occupies only ninth place.
Moreover, he entered the world championship match with the lowest rating in history, which only added to the confidence that the world champion would win.
And now the long-awaited day has come - on November 11, the first batch began. Carlsen got the white pieces by lot. Literally from the first moves, the Internet exploded with an abundance of comments from fans, and it became clear that for the first time in many years, chess attracted enormous attention from the public. First of all, it should be noted that not so long ago this sport was in a deep crisis, from which it took many years to get out.
The split, which was initiated by world champion Garry Kasparov, led to the fact that in the period from 1993 to 2006 there were two world champions - according to FIDE and according to the Professional Chess Association (PSA), created by. FIDE tried to apply some innovations, including knockout tournaments, but this only led to the devaluation of the honorary title.
During this time, fan interest fell and chess was not in the best condition.
However, after the unification of the titles, things gradually went uphill, and since 2008, the world champion began to be determined in a classic duel between two opponents.
Carlsen's appearance couldn't have come at a better time. A young, energetic and incredibly talented guy climbed the ladder of the rating by leaps and bounds, becoming by 2009 the youngest chess player in history to head it. In 2013, he surpassed the result of Kasparov himself, and in April 2014 the maximum figure was recorded - 2889 points. For comparison, the previous record for the 13th world champion was 2851 points.
In 2013, he included the Norwegian in the list of the hundred most influential people in the world in the “Titans” category.
Karjakin's victory at the Candidates Tournament came as a big surprise, since everyone predicted the success of Fabiano Caruana, with whom Sergei was tied before the last game. A draw suited the American grandmaster, but Karjakin managed to win the game and win the tournament.
Perhaps, the growing interest in the upcoming fight began from the moment of Karyakin’s sensational performance. This interested the whole world, and as for Russia, nothing else should have been expected. In our country, a huge number of people are watching the Carlsen-Karjakin match. After losing the crown in 2007, there were no more world champions here.
There is no point in recalling the successes of Soviet and subsequently Russian chess players - almost everyone knows that in terms of the number of world champions we are ahead of the rest.
The press also added fuel to the fire, which did not forget to mention Sergei’s Crimean origin. In 2009, Karyakin received Russian citizenship and began to advocate for his new fatherland. And finally, there was a chance to return the coveted title to Russia, although very small, as many initially thought.
What happened in the 12 games of the match in New York? Why, contrary to all forecasts, Karjakin was not only able to adequately resist Carlsen, but almost became the world champion? Most likely, the answer lies in psychology. On the one hand, Karyakin, in the status of a contender, should have been active in order to prove that such a high position was not an accident, but he did not.
On the other hand, Carlsen, as the favorite of the match, began to become noticeably nervous due to the fact that he could not open Sergei’s defense for a long time.
The eighth game will remain in the memory of Russian fans for a long time. It was a triumph of reason over emotion. Literally all the experts, all the commentators said one thing: Carlsen missed Karjakin’s victory, his emotions got the better of him. And already the bookmakers quickly changed the odds in favor of the Russian grandmaster, and Norwegian television began to reproach their favorite for his lack of stamina.
A sensation was brewing - the great and powerful Viking found himself not only in the role of catching up, but also an outsider, because for the first time he demonstrated that nothing human was alien to him.
But in the tenth game, Karjakin made a mistake, which, in the event of a defeat in the match, could haunt him for a long time. He missed a forced draw with a perpetual check, and Carlsen played well in the endgame and turned a minimal advantage into a victory. And only at this moment many began to say that in the end of the game Carlsen played to his strength, and his performance in the 11th match, which ended in a draw, delighted the experts.
Perhaps the situation before the start of the last game with classical time control can best be described as the birth of a tsunami. This natural phenomenon occurs due to an underground earthquake, which gives rise to a small wave that does not exceed a height of one meter in the open ocean. Approaching shallow water, the height of the wave increases, its length decreases, and the consequences of a tsunami are well known to everyone. The same thing could be observed on the last day - by “time H” the tension had increased many times over, the fans were anticipating an interesting fight and the already familiar long positional play in attempts to create the slightest advantage.
However, this confrontation, which has already brought many surprises, once again poured a tub of cold water not only on the spectators, but also on the experts who predicted an interesting fight in the last game. It took the rivals only 37 minutes to make the 30 necessary moves to sign a peace treaty.
And after the 30th move of Black, who was played by Karjakin, the chess players easily and naturally agreed to a draw. The disappointment knew no bounds, Internet users were indignant, experts were perplexed, the spectacle did not work out.
Carlsen and Karjakin postponed the showdown until the tiebreaker. Many, succumbing to emotions, called this match perhaps one of the most boring in history.
But, as you know, you have to find the good in everything bad. Firstly, another day awaits us, and secondly, it will be an incredibly dynamic and beautiful confrontation. First, four compulsory games of rapid chess will be played. Each player will have 25 minutes and ten seconds will be added to each move. Both players became world rapid champions: Karjakin achieved victory in 2012, and Carlsen later, in 2014, and still holds the title.
If at the end of four games the score is a draw, then the opponents will have to play blitz, in which the same Carlsen is the world champion. Chess players are given five minutes of time with an additional three seconds per move. The rules are designed in such a way that one party cannot determine the outcome of the entire confrontation.
Therefore, the blitz will consist of micro-matches of two games. The maximum number of doubles matches is five. But what will happen if after 14 meetings the score remains equal? Don't flip a coin. For this case, there is “Armageddon”. The winner of the toss will choose a color, white will get five and black four minutes with an addition of three seconds per move. A draw result will be equivalent to a black victory.
One cannot ignore the fact that on November 30, the day of the tiebreak, Carlsen will celebrate his 26th birthday.
I would like to get into the head of the world champion and find out what he feels about this, because in numerous interviews he uses general phrases.
The world title match is coming to an end, but there is still a lot of action ahead. Experts give preference to Carlsen, who holds the title of world champion in all types of chess. But the experience of the Norwegian’s confrontation with Karjakin suggests that it’s time to discard ratings, numbers, titles and the history of personal meetings.
There is an old joke:
— What is the probability of meeting a dinosaur?
- 50 to 50.
- Why?
- Either I’ll meet you or I won’t.
The match has reached a stage where it is no longer possible to take into account regalia and statistics. We just need to relax and enjoy the spectacle that the best chess players on the planet will give us.
The last time a tiebreaker was played was not so long ago - in 2012 in the match between Anand and Boris Gelfand. Then everything was decided in four rapid games - three of them ended in a draw, and in one the Indian celebrated success.
How I wish that this time the outcome of the confrontation would be determined at an even later stage. Frankly speaking, I have no desire for the match to end at all. But there will be more battles: the next Candidates Tournament, the next World Championship match - and they will continue, hopefully, indefinitely. There will also be numerous representative tournaments in which today's heroes and the strongest grandmasters in the world will take part. I really want to hope that the interest in chess that the New York match aroused among the general public will not fade away and people will continue to watch them in the future. Moreover, the Internet allows you to follow a huge number of chess tournaments - you just need to not be lazy and type the coveted word in the search bar.
You can find other news, materials and statistics on chess, as well as in department groups on social networks
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23:10 . This concludes the live broadcast from New York about the 12th game of the match for the world chess champion title. It ended in a draw, and now on November 30 the champion will be determined in a tiebreaker. And we will definitely talk about this in the online broadcast. See you!
23:07 . Sergei Karyakin noted that there is nothing special in the match for the chess crown. As for the last game, he was pleased with the result, since he played with black. Well, when asked about a tiebreaker, he answered that he hoped to avoid “Armageddon.”
22:57 . At the press conference he apologized for what happened in the last game. “I apologize for such a game. I understand that everyone expected more, but this is what happened. Birthday tiebreaker? This is a good sign for me. I already played on my birthday and then won with black,” Championship correspondent Andrei Ivanov quotes Carlsen as saying.
22:41 . After the end of the game, both chess players literally flew past the journalists like a bullet, saying only that they were not surprised by how everything ended today.
22:38 . The tiebreaker will take place on November 30. The world champion will turn 26 years old on this day, and the contender is unlikely to be in the mood to give him a gift.
22:36 That's all. There was no struggle at all. It was in this position, on the 30th move, that the chess players signed a peace agreement.
22:33 . Looks like Magnus Carlsen won't be able to go to the break room today. The Norwegian has it without windows - that’s what he and his team decided.
22:30 . While the chess players are heading towards a concrete draw, look at what souvenirs the fans who come to each game can buy.
22:20 . So, the opponents made 21 moves each, after which a rook and a dark-squared bishop were left on the board, not counting the pawns. The situation on the board is absolutely equal. It looks like today will be the quickest draw of the match.
22:11 . As our special correspondent reports, today, apparently, the “10 minutes” system will be in effect again. Since there are so many fans, they will only be allowed into the players' viewing room for 10 minutes.
22:07 . The opening was played out in literally five minutes. Again one of the “Spanish Flu” variants, as expected.
22:00 . Here we go!
21:56 . Is this how you view chess?
21:45 . In 15 minutes the “chopping” on black and white squares will begin, and the day before there was a day off in the match. Sergey Karyakin spent it with his wife, who flew to New York to support him at crucial moments.
21:43 . Our special correspondent Andrei Ivanov is working on the scene in New York and will talk about everything interesting.
21:38 . Ilya Merenzon, president of World Chess by Agon Limited, which has the commercial rights to host the match, is confident that there will be a tiebreaker and believes that it will be.
21:33 . FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov noted that the match between Karjakin and Carlsen is already large in terms of the number of spectators watching it. He did not forget to remind that this match was the first in history to which the FIDE President was not allowed.
21:30 . Grandmasters Alexander Grischuk, Sergei Makarychev, Sergei Smagin, Alexander Khalifman, Sergei Dolmatov, Alexander Zlochevsky shared their assumptions about whether to wait for a tiebreaker or whether everything could be decided today.
21:25 . There are a lot of predictions before the final “classical” game. Even the former head coach of the Russian national boxing team, Alexander Lebzyak, could not resist his opinion. He, like a boxer, used .
21:20 . If you briefly tell how the previous 11 games went, this can be done with the help of one picture. This diagram clearly shows that there was an absolutely equal fight.
21:15 . The last games of championship matches often ended productively. “Championship” has prepared a special material about this.
21:10 . Today the world champion will have white pieces, and the challenger will have black pieces.
21:00 . Greetings, dear chess lovers. The match for the title of world chess champion, in which Russian Sergei Karjakin and Norwegian meet, is ending in New York. After 11 games played, the score is equal - 5.5-5.5 points, and today is the final meeting of grandmasters, which will be held under classical time control - 100 minutes for 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves and 15 minutes for the remaining moves plus 30 seconds for every move made in the game. If the 12th game ends in a draw, then on November 30 the world champion will be determined by a tiebreaker. The “Championship” begins a live online broadcast from New York, we will tell you about all the most interesting things, and even show something. The 12th game starts at 22:00 Moscow time. Do not miss!
And he explained who else could return the chess crown to Russia.
REGULATIONS OF THE MATCH FOR THE WORLD CHAMPION TITLE CARLSE - KARYAKIN
12 games with classic time control (100 minutes for 40 moves, then 50 minutes for 20 moves and 15 minutes until the end of the game with an addition of 30 seconds for each move)
If the score is tied after 12 games, a tiebreaker is played (four games with a time control of 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
If at the end of the tie-break the score remains equal, then two games are played with a control of five minutes plus three seconds per move and then, if necessary, four more mini-matches in a two-game blitz.
If ten games do not reveal a winner, then the so-called “Armageddon” is played - a decisive game in which White has five minutes, Black - four, with the addition of three seconds after the 61st move, and a draw is interpreted in Black's favor.
The 12th game will take place in New York on November 28. Tiebreaker (if necessary) - November 30.
Carlsen is a two-time world rapid chess champion (2014, 2015) and a two-time world blitz champion (2009, 2014). Karjakin is the world champion in rapid chess (2012).
In general, it is already clear how the game between Karjakin and Carlsen will turn out. The Norwegian will definitely play to win, and the Russian will try to take advantage of his mistakes,” Zvyagintsev noted.
- Why?
The fact is that Sergei has more experience playing in decisive games. True, he plays with black. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right opening. If he has some unexpected idea, then it is worth applying. Because if Karjakin chooses his previous start, then his game will be predictable and it will be easier for Carlsen. True, this is easier said than done. At this level, it is difficult to greatly surprise the enemy. You can only slightly modify your game. But, regardless of the opening of the game, the chances for both grandmasters are approximately equal.
CARLSEN ONLY NEEDS A VICTORY, AND KARYAKIN WILL BE ALLOWED WITH A DRAW
- Will Carlsen surprise? Maybe he will play D2-D4 with white, like Karjakin in the seventh game?
No. E4 is his most likely choice. The Norwegian already has an example of successful play against the Russian. This is the 10th batch. I think he will try to repeat it. In that game it was even more important for him to win than now. And then he acted in a very calm manner, gradually increasing the tension.
- That is, if Sergey learns counterplay against Carlsen in the 10th game, he will be able to win?
Yes. He just needs to avoid such a move as in the 10th game, and then his chances, despite playing as black, will be no worse than Carlsen's. The Norwegian is not at all satisfied with a draw, he only needs a victory. But he plays poorly in decisive matches. This can give Sergei a good chance of winning.
- Is a draw in the decisive game a success for Karjakin?
Certainly. After all, before the match, Carlsen was the clear favorite of the confrontation. And in the tiebreaker Sergei has good chances.
A DRAW FOR THE CHAMPION IS A FAILURE
- Because he is better at blitz and rapid chess?
No, just a draw in the last game is a failure for Magnus. If the score is tied at the end of twelve games, the Norwegian will not be called “the best of the best,” but simply “first among equals.”
- In this case, the Norwegian may have problems in his psychological state?
Only if he does something obvious stupid. A draw won through hard efforts will not demotivate him.
- Sergei’s manager Kirill Zangalis said that for the Russian this is the party of life. Do you agree?
This is a game of life not only for Karjakin, but also for Carlsen. The Norwegian is a maximalist. Defeat in the fight for the title is no less offensive for him than for the Russian. It is more important for him not so much to become a world champion, but to win in principle. Magnus, unlike Sergei, is used to winning any tournament. Karjakin concentrates precisely on the most important championships. And the match for the world title is the most important in his career.
Before the decisive game, the grandmasters had a break. Now the atmosphere is heating up even more, the excitement is rising. Who will it bother more?
You know, now there is very high competition among chess players in the top ten rankings. Regardless of the outcome of the meeting between Karjakin and Carlsen, we will certainly see a new pair of grandmasters in the next fight for the chess crown.
- So Carlsen’s hegemony can end?
Quite. If he loses to Karjakin, he may not return to the World Championship title match. There may very well not be a second fight between them. After all, the favorite of any next candidates tournament will be Fabiano Caruana.
- Who will return the chess crown to Russia then?
Both Kramnik, Nepomniachtchi, and Karjakin can become world champions in the future.
He plays with white, and there is nothing wrong with the fact that it ended in a draw, because Sergei won the only victory in this match with black.
In general, this is such a battle of titans, a competition between two great brains, in which the rivals are not inferior to each other in absolutely nothing.
The last, decisive game is ahead, and I am sure that this will also be a battle - no one will be careful.
They will have, one might say, a man's fight, and the game will go to three results.
— Did you have the feeling that Carlsen was trying to play more aggressively than Karjakin even with black?
— Carlsen doesn’t care what color he plays. He is a great chess player who never bets exclusively on the opening. He bets on the strength of his game. It is important for him to get an acceptable position, and every time he gets it. Then he simply beats his opponent. Therefore, this is an unprincipled moment for him. And I would probably say the same about Sergei.
— The fact that Carlsen will play the last game with White could become a decisive factor?
— In a ratio of 55 to 45. Let me remind you that Sergey Karjakin won the game playing black.
— What is your forecast for the 12th game and what could the plot be?
— The last game will be a battle with a completely unpredictable result. It can end either way. But, in general, I am sure that Carlsen and Karjakin will fight until the very end. There will be no quick draw in order to decide later in a tiebreaker who will get the title.
Of course, there will be a fight in this game: Magnus will press, Sergei will defend.
In the end we are waiting for a nerve-wracking game in which Sergei can become world champion. And perhaps it will happen the next day.
— If a tiebreaker does take place, whose chances do you think look better?
— The year before last I became the world champion in both rapid and blitz, that is, in all types of tiebreakers, last year - only in rapid. This means that he is undoubtedly very strong and is the favorite in the tiebreaker. But no more than in classical chess.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy also believes in Karyakin. He stated that Karjakin has prepared and is playing on an equal footing with Carlsen.
“Karyakin needs to continue the way he played the whole match: hold on, be concentrated, very attentive. It is clear that he has prepared and plays on an equal footing, and it turns out to be a very tense match. Therefore, let Sergei just maintain concentration and attention,” Mutko reports.
The eleventh game of the match for the chess crown in New York, where Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin meet, ended in a draw, although, according to experts, the Norwegian is more actively looking for a path to victory.
The score in the confrontation before the final classical game is equal - 5.5-5.5.
There is a high probability that the winner of this title will be determined by tiebreaker.
If "regular time" ends in a 6-6 draw, then a tiebreaker will take place on Wednesday, November 30: four games with a time control of 25 minutes + 10 seconds per move. If the score remains equal, then two games are played with a control of 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move and then, if necessary, four more blitz matches from two games. If ten games do not reveal a winner, then a decisive game is played in which White has 5 minutes, Black has 4 minutes with an addition of 3 seconds after the 61st move, a draw in favor of Black.
The twelfth game of the championship match will take place on Monday, November 28. The meeting starts at 22.00 Moscow time. Magnus Carlsen will play the white pieces. And in Moscow, during a match, a chess studio operates in the Central House of Chess Players (Gogolevsky Boulevard, 14) - the grandmaster and invited experts tell everyone about what is happening on the board. The entrance is free. The games start at 22.00 Moscow time.
You can find other news, materials and statistics on chess, as well as in department groups on social networks
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